Effects of Standardized Meals with Different Macronutrient Ratios on Metabolic Flexibility and Post-Meal Metabolome in Adults Aged 18-30

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating metabolic flexibility, the bodys ability to switch between energy sources, which is important for health and linked to risks like obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. This study focuses on how metabolic flexibility and the bodys metabolome change after consuming standardized meals with different mixes of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. The goal is to understand how the body responds to these meals during the postprandial state, the period after eating. Participants receive three different standardized meal challenges in a randomized order a high carbohydrate meal, a high fat meal, and a high protein meal. Each meal must be consumed within 15 minutes, followed by a 5-minute rest and then 30 minutes of indirect calorimetry to measure metabolism. Capillary blood samples are taken before and at multiple time points after eating to analyze glucose, lipids, cholesterol, insulin, amino acids, and acyl-carnitines. The study lasts one month, with weekly visits where participants complete questionnaires about activity and diet and provide blood samples and metabolic measurements. Researchers assess metabolic flexibility using respiratory quotient and substrate oxidation, and monitor postprandial glucose, triglycerides, amino acids, and acyl-carnitines. Participants follow fasting and dietary instructions before each test. This comprehensive approach aims to provide insights into metabolic health based on responses to different meal compositions.

Postprandial Metabolome and Metabolic Flexibility